âSo embarrassedâ: Student says she was forced to cut braids at softball game Student says she was forced to cut her braids By WRAL staff | May 13, 2021 at 9:13 AM CDT - Updated May 13 at 9:13 AM DURHAM, N.C. (WRAL) - A Black softball player in North Carolina says she felt forced to cut her hair during a game. The high school sophomore says the umpires enforced a rule that she calls discriminatory. Nicole Pyles and others now are pushing for change. The Hillside High School player loves the game of softball. âThe umps came up to my coach asking about my beads, and so I was just like, well, itâs fine,â she said. âIâll tuck, Iâll put them away.â